Steve's first pumpkin

Dinner Club, Halloween edition, with pumpkin carving. A first for Steve!

Top panel: The chosen one; Steve gets advice on the optimal angle of approach and use of the carving tool
Bottom panel: Firt cuts; removing the lid and reaching in, with a "yuuuuuuk", to pull out the guts

The other carvers: determination, skill, detail-oriented

Pumpkins, ready for Halloween!

Green beans with caramelized onions and toasted almonds

... something green for Pre-Thanksgiving Thanksgiving dinner.

Ingredients:
Salt and Pepper
3 lbs green beans with ends trimmed
1/2 C skin-on sliced almonds
3 T unsalted butter
5 T EVOO
2 large or 3 medium onions, sliced thin

1. Toast almonds over medium heat, stirring every now and then, until golden (3-5min). Remove from skillet and reserve for later.
2. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add the butter and olive oil. Melt the butter and add the onions and S&P. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions caramelize (40-50min, until they are golden-to-dark brown).
3. While the onions are cooking, heat up a pot of water. When the onions are close to done, bring the water to boil and flash-boil the green beans, 1-2min. Pour into a colander and run under cold water.
4. Add the green beans and almonds to the onions and mix well. Season with S&P.

Original recipe c/o foodnetwork.com

Top panels: onions, wilted onions, almost-caramelized onions.
Lower panels: toasting the sliced almonds, and the finished product

Lasagna Night - October 26, 2010

Mmmmm lasagna! One all-meat, and one vegetable. Can't go wrong!

The meat recipe was inspired by the Pioneer Woman and the vegetable recipe was inspired by Baker's Edge.

For the meat lasagna, I used more like 2 lbs of ground beef and I didn't put egg in the cottage cheese. I also bought a can of pasta sauce and put it on the bottom of the pan before laying down the pasta, and I put pasta on top...covered it with the pasta sauce...and sprinkled with shredded mozzerella cheese and grated parm.

For the vegetable lasagna, I substituted the fontina cheese with other shredded cheeses (italian blend, etc).

I think we all agreed, the meat lasagna was WAY better than the veggie. Maybe next time try a hybrid? One layer of roasted veggies and one layer of meat?

Fall Fever

Was feeling autumnal (but an early autumn) and wanted something light. It was also drizzly and I wanted something warm. TADA! Butternut shrimp soup followed by pasta with pesto and scallops. I like using allrecipies.com because of the ratings and comments option. Highly rated, a few great ideas in the comments = one super yummy dinner. Satisfied, a happy dinner club played manbearpig. Or whatever that game is called.

The soup: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Butternut-Shrimp-Soup-with-Sherry/Detail.aspx
- I didn't have wine or celery salt so those were omitted and I used apples instead of pears (who can find ripe pears on demand anyway?)

The pasta: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pasta-with-Pesto-and-Scallops/Detail.aspx
- Used red peppers instead of green.